«Visions
of Azerbaijan».-2008.-¹3.-S.34-40.
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs
By Kamil Ibrahimov
Baku's Old City is a treasure trove of
Azerbaijani history. Its stone buildings and mazy streets hold secrets that
have still to be discovered. A masterpiece of Old City architecture, rich in
history but with questions still unanswered, is the
medieval residence of the rules of Shirvan, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace.
state of shirvan
The
state of Shirvan was formed in 861 and became the
longest-surviving state in northern Azerbaijan. The first dynasty of the state
of Shirvan was the Mazyadi
dynasty (861-1027), founded by Mahammad ibn Yezid, an Arab vicegerent who
lived in Shamakhi.
In
the 10th century, the Shirvanshahs took Derbent, now in the Russian Federation. Under the Mazyadis, the state of the Shirvanshahs
stretched from Derbent to the Kur
River. The capital of this state was the town of Shamakhi.
In
the first half of the 11th century, the Mazyadi
dynasty was replaced by theKasrani dynasty
(1028-1382). The state of Shirvan flourished under
the Shirvanshahs, Manuchehr
III and his son Akhsitan. The last ruler in this
dynasty was Hushang. His reign was unpopular and Hushang was killed in a rebellion.
The
Kasrani dynasty was later replaced by the Derbendi dynasty (1382-1538), founded by Ibrahim I
(1382-1417). Ibrahim I was a well-known but bankrupt feudal ruler from Shaki. His ancestors had been rulers in Derbent,
hence the dynasty's name. Ibrahim was a wise and peace-loving ruler and for
some time managed to protect Shirvan from invasion.
To prevent the country's destruction by Timur (Tamerlane), Ibrahim I took gifts to Timur's headquarters and obtained internal independence for
Shirvan. Ibrahim I failed to unite all Azerbaijani lands under his rule, but he did manage to make Shirvan a strong and independent state.
BAKU
BECOMES CAPITAL OF SHIRVAN
The
15th century was a period of economic and cultural revival for Shirvan. Since this was a time of peace in Shirvan, major progress was made in the arts, architecture
and trade. Shamakhi remained the capital of Shirvan at the start of the century, but an earthquake and
constant attacks by the Kipchaks, a Turkic people,
led the capital to be moved to Baku.
The city of Baku was the capital of the
country during the rule of the Shirvanshahs Khalilullah I (1417-62) and his son Farrukh
Yasar (1462-1500).
While tension continued in Shamakhi, Baku developed in a relatively quiet
environment. It is known that strong fortress walls were built in Baku as early
as the 12th century.
After
the capital was moved to Baku, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs
was erected at the highest point of the city, in what had been one of the most
densely populated areas.
The
palace complex consists of nine buildings - the palace itself, the Courtroom,
the Dervish's Tomb, the Eastern Gate, the Shah Mosque, the Keygubad
Mosque, the palace tomb, the bathhouse and the reservoir.
The
buildings of the complex are located in three courtyards that are on different
levels, 5.6 metres above one another. Since the palace
is built on uneven ground, it does not have an orderly architectural plan. The
entire complex is constructed from limestone. Of all the buildings, the palace
itself has suffered the most wear and tear over the years.
The palace was looted in 1500 after Farrukh Yasar was killed in
fighting between the Shirvanshahs and the Safavids. As the Iranian and Ottoman empires vied for power
in the South Caucasus, the state of Shirvan, on the
crossing-point of various caravan routes, suffered frequent attacks. Consequently,
the palace was badly damaged many times. Proof of this is the Murad Gate which was built during Ottoman rule.
What
is now Azerbaijan was occupied by Russia on 10 February 1828.
The Shirvanshahs' Palace became the Russian military
headquarters and many palace buildings were destroyed. In 1954, the Complex of
the Palace of the Shirvanshahs was made a State
Historic-Architectural Reserve and Museum. In 1960, the authorities of the
Soviet republic decided to promote the palace as an architectural monument.
the palace building
The palace is a two-storey building in an
irregular, rectangular shape. In order to provide better illumination of the
palace, the south-eastern part of the building was constructed on different
levels. Initially there were 52 rooms in the palace, of which 27 were on the
ground floor and 25 on the first floor. The shah and his family lived on the
upper floor, while servants and others lived on the lower floor.
THE TOMB BUILT BY
SHIRVANSHAH FARRUKH YASAR
(ALSO KNOWN AS THE COURTROOM
OR DIVANKHANA)
Shirvanshah Farrukh Yasar had the tomb constructed in the upper courtyard of
the palace complex. Its north side and one of its corners adjoin the
residential building. The tomb consists of an octagonal rotunda, completed with
a dodecagonal dome. Its octagonal hall is surrounded by an open balcony or
portico. The balcony is edged with nine columns which still have their original
capitals. The rotunda stands in a small courtyard which also has an open
balcony running around its edge. The balcony's columns and arches are the same
shape as those of the rotunda. The outer side of the columns has a stone with
the image of a dove, the symbol of freedom, and two stone chutes to drain water
away. Some researchers believe that this building was used for official
receptions and trials and call it the Courtroom. The architectural work in the
tomb was not completed.
The
tomb is considered one of the finest examples of medieval architecture, not
only in Azerbaijan but in the whole Middle East.
THE DERVISH'S TOMB
The
Dervish's Tomb is located in the southern part of the middle courtyard. Some
historians maintain that it is the tomb of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, who was a royal
scholar and astronomer under Khalilullah I. Other
historians say that all the buildings in the lower courtyard of the palace,
including the Dervish's Tomb, are part of a complex where dervishes lived, but
there is little evidence for this.
THE KEYGUBAD MOSQUE
Now in ruins, the Keygubad
Mosque was a mosque-cum-madrasah joined to the
Dervish's Tomb. The tomb was located in the southern part of the mosque. The
mosque consisted of a rectangular prayer hall and a small corridor in front of
it. In the centre of the hall four columns supported the dome. Historian Abbasgulu Bakikhanov wrote that Bakuvi taught and prayed in the mosque: "The cell
where he prayed, the school where he worked and his grave are there, in the mosque".
Keygubad Shirvanshah ruled
from 1317 to 1343 and was Sheikh Ibrahim's grandfather.
THE EASTERN GATE
The
Eastern or Murad Gate is the only part of the complex
that dates to the 16th century. Two medallions on the upper frame of the Murad Gate bear the inscription: "This building was
constructed under the great and just Sultan Murad
III on the basis of an order by Racab Bakuvi in 994" (1585-86).
THE TOMB OF THE SHIRVANSHAHS
There
are two buildings in the lower courtyard - the tomb and the Shah Mosque. A
round wall encloses the lower courtyard, separating it from the other yards.
When you look at the tomb from above, you can see that it is rectangular in
shape, decorated with an engraved star and completed with an octagonal dome.
While the tomb was being built, blue glazed tiles were placed in the
star-shaped mortises on the dome.
An
inscription at the entrance says: "Protector of the religion, man of the
prophet, the great Sultan Shirvanshah Khalilullah, may God make his reign as shah permanent,
ordered the building of this light tomb for his mother and seven-year-old son
(may they rest in peace) 839" (1435-36).
The
architect's name is also inscribed between the words "God" and
"Mohammad" on another decorative inscription on the portal which can
be read only using a mirror. The inscription says "God, architect Ali
Mohammad".
A skeleton 2.1 metres
tall was found opposite the entrance to the tomb.
This is believed to be Khalilullah l's own grave. A
comb, a gold earring and other items of archaeological interest were found
there.
THE SHAH MOSQUE
The Shah Mosque is in the lower courtyard,
alongside the mausoleum. The mosque is 22 metres
high. An inscription around the minaret says: "The Great Sultan Khalilullah I ordered the erection of this minaret. May God
prolong his rule as Shah. Year 845" (1441-42).
Stairs lead from a hollow in the wall
behind the minbar or pulpit to another small room.
Stone traceries on the windows decorate the mosque.
THE PALACE BATHHOUSE
The
palace bathhouse is located in the lowest courtyard of the complex. Like all
bathhouses in the Old City, this one was built underground to ensure that the
temperature inside was kept stable. As time passed the level of the earth rose
and covered it completely. The bathhouse was found by chance in 1939. In 1953
part of it was cleaned and in 1961 restoration work was done and the dome
repaired. The walls in one of the side rooms are covered with glazed tiles and
this room is thought to have been the shah's room.
CISTERN
The cistern, part of an underground water
distribution system, was constructed in the lower part of the bathhouse to
supply the Shirvanshahs' Palace with water. Water
came into the cistern via ceramic pipes which were part of the Shah's Water
Pipeline, laid from a high part of the city. The cistern is located underground
and its entrance has the shape of a portal. Numerous stairs lead from the
entrance down to the storage facility. A link between the cistern and the
bathhouse can be seen from the side lobby. The cistern was found by chance
during restoration work in 1954.
LITERATURE
S.B.
Ashurbayli: Ãîñóäàðñòâî Øèðâàíøàõîâ (The State of the Shirvanshahs),
Baku, Elm, 1983;
and Baki soharinin
tarixi (The History of the City of Baku), Baku,
Azarnashr, 1998.
F.A.
Ibrahimov and K.F. Ibrahimov:
Bakı İçərişəhər
(Baku Inner City), Baku, OKA, Ofset, 2002.
Kamil Farhadoghlu: Bakı İçərişəhər
(Baku Inner City), Sh-Q, 2006; and Baku's Secrets are Revealed (Bakının
sirləri açılır),
Baku, 2008.
E.A.
Pakhomov: Îò÷åò î ðàáîòàõ ïî øàõñêîìó äâîðöó â Áàêó (Report on Work in the Shah's Palace in
Baku), News
of the AAK, Issue II, Baku, 1926;
and Ïåðâîíà÷àëüíàÿ î÷èñòêà øàõñêîãî äâîðöà â Áàêó (Initial Clearing of the Shah's Palace in
Baku), News
of the AAK, Issue II, Baku, 1926. Chingiz Gajar: Ñòàðûé Áàêó (Old Baku), OKA Ofset, 2007.
M. Huseynov, L. Bretanitsky, A. Salamzadeh, Èñòîðèÿ
àðõèòåêòóðû Àçåðáàéäæàíà (History of the Architecture of
Azerbaijan). Moscow, 1963.
M.S. Neymat, Êîðïóñ
ýïèãðàôè÷åñêèõ ïàìÿòíèêîâ Àçåðáàéäæàíà (Azerbaijan's Epigraphic Monuments), Baku, Elm, 1991.
A.A. Alasgarzadah,
Íàäïèñè àðõèòåêòóðíûõ ïàìÿòíèêîâ Àçåðáàéäæàíà ýïîõè Íèçàìè (Inscriptions on the architectural
monuments of Azerbaijan from the era of Nizami) in the collection, Àðõèòåêòóðà
Àçåðáàéäæàíà ýïîõè Íèçàìè (Azerbaijan in the Era of Nizami), Moscow, 1947